Device for automatically sewing the toes of seamless stockings



May 26, 1970 K. ROSSLER ,5 3,792

' omvibm FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEWING THE TOES OF SEAMLESS STOCKINGS 3 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed March 27, 1968 K. RGSSLER May 26, 1970 DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEWING THE TOES 0F SEAMLESS STOCKINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27, 1968 K. RGSSLER May 26, 1970 DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEWING THE TOES OF SEAMLESS STOCKINGS Filed March 27, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 LLH 1 H1 6 J11 a m 6 1] w 2 P 2 1 1 7 m 3 m (I. H IIH lfl l fil- IIIV|| I' m p m lhlrn ||L J\ W 8 I 9 m United States Patent DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEWING THE TOES F SEAMLESS STOCKINGS Kurt Riissler, Talweg 3, Sonthofen, Germany Filed Mar. 27, 1968, Ser. No. 716,492

Claims priority, application Germany, Apr. 1, 1967, R 45,653; Nov. 22, 1967, R 47,416 Int. Cl. Db 21/00 US. Cl. 112121.15 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a method and a device for automatically sewing the toes of seamless stockings.

In a prior art device, the stocking is drawn full length over a form and the toe is straightened by adjusting it to a template. The toe of the stocking on the form is; then clamped into a mechanism which transfers the form with the stocking thereon to the sewing machine. Subsequently, the stocking has to be removed from the form by hand.

The object of the present invention is a method and a device for automatically sewing the toes of seamless stockings without having to pull the whole stocking over and from a form, respectively.

This is accomplished in that merely the unsewn toe of the stocking is drawn onto a small template and seized by a clamping device which transfers it to the cutting mech anism and the needle of the sewing machine.

In addition to a sewing machine, the device according to the invention comprises a template which is pivotable and axially movable preferably by pneumatic means and a horizontally rotatable clamping device arranged in front of the needle of the sewing machine.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment of the invention which will be described in detail in the following.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 to 4 are top elevation views of the inventive device, each showing a different operative position;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are side elevation views of the clamping device on an enlarged scale, and

FIGS. 7 and 8 each show a stocking closed at the toe in accordance with the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a horizontal template 5- attached to a guide rod 14 is so pivoted about a point of rotation 6 on the axis of the rod 14 that it may be moved in a horizontal plane from its initial position spaced from a clamping member 1, as shown in FIG. 1, to a position below the clamping member 1, as shown in FIG. 2. The template 5 may also be retracted lengthwise with the guide rod 14 toward the point of rotation 6. These movements of the template 5 are effected by the following structural elements. The template 5 is attached to one end of the rod 14 which latter is so arranged and guided that the template is kept in a horizontal position. The guide rod 14 is axially movable in both directions by means of pistons in a pneumatic cylinder 15 arranged on the other end of the rod 14. Both elements, guide rod 14 and cylinder 15, are pivotally mounted about the point of rotation 6 constructed as a bearing which itself is fixedly attached by means of a horizontal supporting beam 16 to the sewing machine 28.

The pivotal movement of the template 5 is effected by a second piston in a second pneumatic cylinder 18 by way of the piston rod 19, a joint 20 and a lever 17 connected to the bearing at 6. One end of the cylinder 18 is pivotally mounted in a bearing 21 which is also fixedly attached to the sewing machine. Compressed air is supplied to the pneumatic cylinders 15 and 18 in known manner by means of hoses, one of which is indicated at 22.

From the FIGS. 5 and 6 it will be seen that the clamping member 1 is mounted on the lower end of a vertical shaft 23 which may be raised or lowered by a piston in a pressure cylinder 7 mounted on a holder 2.}. The pressure cylinder 7 is connected in known manner to a source of compressed air which is, for instance, controlled by a solenoid valve. Fixedly attached to the shaft 23 above the horizontal clamping member 1 is a friction disc 8 which is provided at its edge with two diametrically opposing ball bearings 11. A friction wheel 9 rotatable in a vertical plane and fixedly attached to the horizontal shaft of a drive motor 24 extends into the vertical space formed between the friction disc 8 and the clamping member or plate 1.

Upon actuating the pressure cylinder 7 the shaft 23 is lowered and the clamping member 1 is placed on the template 5 which with the toe portion of the stocking thereon has in the meantime been moved into the space between the clamping member 1 and a stationary, nonrotatable base plate 10 positioned below the horizontal clamping member 1. The clamping member '1 is preferably provided at its underside with a foam rubber sheet 25. The circumference of the circular clamping plate 1 is provided with two diametrically opposed arcuate recesses 3. The top surface of the base plate 10 is either smoothly polished or is provided with a coating of a smooth material, such as hard plastics, glass, or the like, so that, when the clamping member 1 rotates, the stocking adhering to the foam rubber sheet 25 can slide over the smooth base plate 10. When the stocking is in the proper position, the template 5 is withdrawn from the stocking and as a result, the clamping member 1 is further lowered and the stocking is pressed against the base plate 10. By this final lowering of the clamping member 1, the horizontal friction plate 8 arranged on the same shaft 23 comes with its lower face into contact with the circumference of the friction wheel 9 rotated by the drive motor 24, so that the friction disc 8, the shaft 23 and therewith the clamping member 1 are rotated and thereby the toe portion of the stocking is moved past the needle 4 and the cutting member of the sewing machine 28.

As a sewing machine is used a commercially available machine equipped with a material cutting'device and a loop separating device, for instance a two-thread over edging machine capable of producing an elastic seam.

The base plate 10 is preferably crescent-shaped. The length of the stocking lies during the sewing process behind the crescent-shaped plate 10 so that only the outer edge of the toe is held by the clamping member 1. This dispenses with a special withdrawing means for the stockings in the direction of the axis of rotation.

The recesses 3 provided on the clamping member I serve the purpose that, when the clamping member 1 is raised, it will not harm the seam-forming parts of the sewing machine 28, i.c. the needle 4. The circumferential edge of the clamping member 1 tapers slightly upwardly toward the axis of rotation so that also in the lowered position of the clamping member 1 the seam-forming parts of the sewing machine 28 will not be impaired.

After the clamping member 1 has rotated the intended distance, the ball bearing 11 projecting from the friction disc 8 actuates 'a pressure switch 12 by means of which the pressure cylinder 7 is deaerated, so that the shaft 23 is raised by means of a spring mechanism, the stocking is released and the rotation of the shaft 23 is stopped.

The operation of the device is as follows. A stocking a with the toe portion still open is manually pulled over the template and is straightened out. By a foot operated switch the solenoid valve is actuated so that compressed air is conducted into the cylinder 18 whereby the rod 19 is pushed forward and a pivotal movement of the template 5 in the direction of the clamping member 1 takes place on account of the lever 17 and the joint 20. In the end position of the template a contact is automatically operated which in turn opens the solenoid valve for supplying compressed air to the pressure cylinder 7. The latter urges the clamping member 1 against the template 5. When this takes place, the pressure cylinder 7 actuates another contact which controls a solenoid valve for the pressure cylinder by way of a hose 22. Thereby the template 5 is withdrawn by the rod 14 and arrives at the position illustrated in FIG. 3. In this position the pressure cylinders 15 and 18 will be deaerated by another contact also operating automatically. By means of springs in the pressure cylinders the rod 19 is withdrawn and the rod 14 is displaced, thus returning the assembly to its initial position as illustrated in FIG. 4.

If the template 5 in its operative condition is positioned vertically with respect to the shaft 23, a circular seam 29 is obtained, as shown in FIG. 7. If the template 5 is positioned at an angle of about 45 with respect to the shaft 23 and turns the stocking by 90, a longitudinal seam 30 extending into the sole of the stocking is produced as shown in FIG. 8. In the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 there will always be produced the seam 29 shown in FIG. 7.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the base plate 10 is perforated. At the instant the first pressure cylinder 7 presses the clamping member 1 against the template 5 with the stocking thereon, a second pressure cylinder 13 urges a plate provided with rubber protrusions 27 against the underside of the base plate 10. The rubber protrusions 27 which correspond to the holes in the base plate 10, enter into and project through these holes and hold the stocking a in place so that the template 5 may now be withdrawn without the stocking.

After the friction disc 8 has become separated from the friction wheel 9, i.e. upon completion of the first sewing operation, the clamping member 1 has to be rotated the remaining one eighth of the first half revolution. For this purpose there is provided in the proximity of the friction disc 8 an inclined surface 26 onto which the ball bearing 11 of the friction disc 8 is moved when the shaft 23 is raised and thereby the friction disc 8 and the shaft 23 including the clamping member 1 are rotated by just that one eighth that will make a one-half rotation of the clamping member 1 complete.

The invention is substantially less complex than all other known devices of this kind. In particular, it is no longer necessary to pull the whole stocking over a form but a toe portion of about 5 to 6 cm. length is sufficient so that the removal operation of the stocking from the form is dispensed with, too. This results in a saving of mechanical structure as well as labor. The stocking may simply be removed by conventional suction means, for example a suction tube. In combination therewith may simultaneously be used any well known turning devices.

The stockings illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 have the usual leg length 31, reinforced top portion 32 and toe portions 29 and 30, respectively.

What I claim is:

1. A device for automatically sewing the toes of seamless stockings, including a template pivotally arranged in a horizontal plane and onto which solely the unsewn toe of a stocking is drawn, a multi-part clamping device rotatable about a vertical axis for clampingly engaging said template with said toe of the stocking thereon, means for moving said template in a horizontal plane with said toe of the stocking thereon laterally into said clamping device and for withdrawing said template from said toe of said stocking by a straight movement when said toe has been clamped in said clamping device, a sewing mechanism, means for moving said clamping device with said toe of said stocking thereon laterally past said sewing mechanism for sewing said toe of said stocking, an axially movable and rotatable vertical shaft on the lower end of which said clamping device is fixedly attached, said shaft also having fixedly attached thereto above said clamping device a horizontally disposed friction disc the outer circumferential edge of which is provided with a ball bearing, a motor driven friction wheel rotating about a horizontal axis extending into the vertical space formed between said clamping device and said friction disc, means for lowering said vertical shaft, the frictional edge of said friction wheel being spaced from said friction disc such that during the lowering of said vertical shaft said friction disc thereon comes into engagement with said friction wheel so that said clamping device is pressed against said toe of the stocking removed from said template, a switch arranged stationary adjacent said friction disc, and a ball bearing arranged on the circumference of said friction disc in such a manner that upon passing a predetermined distance it actuates said switch which operates means for raising said lowered vertical shaft and thereby interrupts the rotation of said shaft and sewing operation.

2. A device according to claim 1, including an inclined surface in the proximity of said ball bearing onto which surface said ball bearing is moved upon the actuation of said switch and the resulting upward movement of said vertical shaft, whereby said friction disc, said vertical shaft and said clamping device are rotated another predetermined distance.

3. A device according to claim 1, in which said clamping device comprises a clamping plate attached to the lower end of said axially movable and rotatable vertical shaft, a horizontal base plate provided with perforations arranged below said clamping plate, said base plate being engaged from below by another plate having rubber protrusions which at the moment the clamping plate has been lowered onto said template with said toe of said stocking thereon will extend through said perforations in said base plate and firmly secure said toe of said stocking for the purpose of removing said template therefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,142,476 1/ 1939 McDonald. 3,182,616 5/ 1965 Cremer. 3,191,558 6/1965 Graves. 3,327,664 6/1967 Bryan et a1. 3,351,032 11/1967 Junkins. 3,351,033 11/1967 Kienel. 3,358,626 12/1967 Bryan.

JAMES R. BOLER, Primary Examiner 

